Animal-yoke



(No Model.)

vA.. L. F1SHBR.

ANIMAL YOKE.

Patented Oct. 5, 1897 wif asses Mm @Cmf/ mi Noms paens co. www4 wus.. WASHING-ron. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN LEROY FISHER, OF ALMENA, KANSAS.

ANIMAL-Yom.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,337, dated October 5, 1897.

Application filed April 24, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN LEROY FISHER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Alhas for its object to provide a simple and ef.

cient device having means for adjustment to suit the size of the animal to which it is to be applied and being reversible to suit different kinds of animals, as cattle, horses, &c.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a yoke constructed in accordance with my invention applied to a head of cattle. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the yoke in the inverted position in which it may be arranged when applied to horses. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the nose-ring. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the snap-hook for attaching the chain, strap, or rope to the frame of the yoke. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the cross-bar partly broken away to show the construction of clamping-bolt employedV for securing the arms of the yoke-frame thereto.

Similar numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a cross-bar which connects the side arms 2 and 3 of al looped yoke-frame, said frame being preferably constructed of heavy wire or metal rod of even thickness throughout, bent upon itself at its center. The extremity of the arm 2 is bent forwardly to form a hook 4, andthe extremity of the arm` 3 is similarly bentV to form a hook 5, an eye 6 being also formed inthe long arm below its terminal hook and above the plane of the cross-bar.

The looped yoke-frame is adapted to extend around the neck ofthe animal, and in order to adapt the length thereof from the crossbar to its looped end to the size of the neck upon which it is iitted I form an adjustable connection between the cross-bar and the arms 2 and 3. In the construction illustrated Serial No. 588,943. (No model.)

l this connection is formed by means of clamping-bolts 7, provided atone end with hooks to engage the arms and having shanks extendingthrough horizontal openings 8 in the cross-bar and engaged at their extremities by nuts 9. Bytightening the nuts the hooks are drawn toward the contiguous edge of the cross-bar, thus clampingA the arms'frictionally. In order to provide for lateral adjustment of the yarms to suit the width or thickness of the neck, a plurality of openings 8 are provided.

The nose-ring which I prefer to employ in connection with my improved yoke consists of a forked member l0, having terminal eyes 12, and a needle 13, adapted to pass through the cartilage of the nose of the animal and engage vsaid eyes at opposite sides thereof. This needle is provided at one end with a ring 14 and is adapted to be bent at the other end to form a hook 15 after insertion to prevent displacement.

Connected to the loop of the forked member is one extremity of a-chain, strap, or rope 16, the other end of this flexible member being provided with a snap-hook 17 for engagement with the loop or eye 6 on the arm 3. This snap-hook preferably consists of a single blank of spring-wire bent upon itself at an intermediate point to form approximately parallel sides 18 and 19, the side 1 8 terminating inV a seat 2O for engagement with the free end of the side 19.

The contact ofthe horns formed by the portions of the arms .2 and 3 above the plane of the cross-bar with an obstruction, such as a part of a fence, will cause backward strain upon the flexible connection and hence upon the nose-ring, and will thus induce the animal to retreat, and it will be understood that while the nose-ring above described is preferable the device may be used in connection with a ring of the ordinary construction, o r with the nose piece or ring 10a of an ordinary halter, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In addition to the above-described means for .preventing cattle from breaking over or through fences I employ a pendent or swinging arm 2l, terminating at its upper end in a ring 22, which is Iitted upon the looped portion of the yoke-frame and isadapted to be applied and removed at the extremity of the IOO short arm 2. This pendent arm terminates at its lower end in a forwardly-extending hook 23, and is provided at an intermediate point with an integral eye 2l. This arm is adapted to engage with wires or other parts of a fence over which the animal attempts to pass, and the intermediate eye is provided to facilitate connection by means of a chain, strap, or rope (not shown) with a halter in case it is preferable to arrange the device in this Way rather than employ a nose-ring. This alternative manner of arranging the yoke is especially adapted for use in connection with horses, mules, and the like; but another arrangement is shown in Fig. 2, in which the yoke is inverted to bring the loop at the top of the neck. In this case the swinging arm is dispensed with and connection is made between the halter and the eye 6 on the extension of the arm 3 of the yoke-frame by means of a chain, strap, or rope 25.

From the above description it will be seen that the device is readily adjustable to all sizes of animals and is adapted to cause rearward strain upon the nose thereof when the yoke meets With an obstruction, thus serving to deter Without injuring or causing unnecessary pain.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a reversible animal-yoke, the combination with a suitable nose-piece, of a yoke formed of a single yielding rod or Wire bent intermediate its ends to produce a pair of side arms terminating in hooks, one of the yoke side arms being coiled at an intermediate point to form an eye 6, a cross-bar lintersecting said side arms, clamping-bolts adjustably fitted in the bar and formed at one end with hooks having a clamping engagement with said side arms, aspring-wire snaphook 17 having its closed end portion loosely hung in the eye 6 of one of the yoke side arms, and a flexible connection engaged at one end with said nose-piece and having its other end detachably engaging with said springwire snap-hook 17, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALVIN LEROY FISHER.

Vitnesses:

VILLIAM MALCOLM, XV. L. IIOWE. 

